{"id":2137,"date":"2014-01-06T13:06:16","date_gmt":"2014-01-06T18:06:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/?page_id=2137"},"modified":"2014-10-25T11:52:03","modified_gmt":"2014-10-25T15:52:03","slug":"southeast-asia-with-peter-2013-page-11","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/southeast-asia-with-peter-2013-page-11\/","title":{"rendered":"Southeast Asia with Peter – Page 11"},"content":{"rendered":"

Southeast Asia with Peter – Day 14<\/strong> (Continued)<\/h1>\n

\"IMG_5371\"<\/a> \"IMG_5372\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5373\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We had a short orientation walkthrough the\u00a0Royal Independence Gardens in the center of town. Rath pointed out the Fruit Bats in the trees. \u00a0They were huge! \u00a0These bats are locally known as the Flying Foxes<\/strong> because the reference to a flying mouse would be highly disproportionate to their actual size.\u00a0Their wingspan can reach up to 5 feet!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The bats also inadvertently help thousands of durian farmers whose fruits would not be as delicious were the bats not present t<\/strong><\/strong>o pollinate their trees. They are also part of the local food chain.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5375\"<\/a> \"IMG_5376\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We arrived at the Paradise Hotel, checked in and I went for a haircut. \u00a0It cost $2.00 and I gave a $1.00 tip. \u00a0Big spender, ey?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5383\"<\/a>Back to the room for a shower and an early “to bed” to end Day 14.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Southeast Asia with Peter – Day 15<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\"IMG_5389\"<\/a> \"IMG_5391\"<\/a>The day started with a ride through Siem Reap’s streets heading to the Ton Le Sap. I’m always fascinated by the way people use motor bikes. \u00a0I don’t know what the guy in the top pic was carrying, but it was a big load of somethisg. \u00a0The bottom pic shows 2 bikes with a total of 9 passengers (Count ’em.). The drivers are required to wear helmets But not passengers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5392\"<\/a> \"IMG_5402\"<\/a> \"IMG_5395\"<\/a> \"IMG_5394\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We stopped at a place where you could have a brahma<\/span>\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0bull or water buffalo cart ride. We chose a snappy dual water buffalo cart and were treated to a bumpy ride on a muddy cart track littered with poops. \u00a0Some fun!! \u00a0Note the power steering rope through the nose.<\/strong>\"IMG_5408\"<\/a>Access to the Ton Le Sap lake was via this canal. \u00a0Note the ever present Spirit House.<\/strong>\"IMG_5407\"<\/a> \"IMG_5409\"<\/a>Before boarding we were photographed by a Canbodian TSA Agent.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5414\"<\/a>\u00a0Pete and Fred enjoyed a good laugh. The rest of the crew enjoyed the views. .<\/strong> \"IMG_5417\"<\/a>Trees along the canal were interesting: They are totally submerged during high water. \u00a0As the water receded, leaves will appear on the tops of the exposed branches. By the time the water was fully gone, the tree will be fully leafed out. Ain’t Mother Nature grand?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5423\"<\/a> \"IMG_5431\"<\/a> \"IMG_5429\"<\/a> \"IMG_5428\"<\/a> \"IMG_5427\"<\/a> \"IMG_5425\"<\/a> \"IMG_5424\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5432\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When we finally reached the actual Ton Le Sap lake, we came to a floating village (above). This is the \u00a0Mechrey Community<\/span><\/a>. It is a community based tourism project with a “typical” floating village and some flooded forest.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Tonl\u00e9 Sap aka: “Large Fresh Water River”, but more commonly translated as “Great Lake”) is a combined lake<\/span><\/a> and river<\/span><\/a> system of major importance to Cambodia<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0It is the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO<\/span><\/a> biosphere in 1997.
\n<\/span><\/a><\/sup><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Tonl\u00e9 Sap is unusual for two reasons: its flow changes direction twice a year, and the portion that forms the lake expands and shrinks dramatically with the seasons. From November to May, Cambodia’s dry season, the Tonl\u00e9 Sap drains into the Mekong<\/span><\/a> River at Phnom Penh<\/span><\/a>. However, when the year’s heavy rains begin in June, the Tonl\u00e9 Sap backs up to form an enormous lake.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Through the phenomenon of decomposition, the flora is the source of the Tonle Sap\u2019s great fish productivity, making it one of the world’s most productive bodies of inland water. It also creates nesting niches for fish, provides an important habitat for many wildlife species, as well as a means of livelihood and subsistence for many people living near or on the Tonle Sap Lake.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We visited a “floating store” that had a lot of tourist stuff for sale I bought Mary Ann a piece of printed fabric for her “stash”. \u00a0She wasn’t too impressed.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"IMG_5401\"<\/a><\/h3>\n

They also had captured crocodiles there. They would be sold for meat and hides. \u00a0But the “piece de resistance” was this water snake soup. \u00a0Of course, Peter was first in line to try it. \u00a0He said it tasted like chicken, so I tried is. \u00a0It was not too bad (compared to tarantulas).<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5443\"<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"IMG_5437\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5400\"<\/a><\/p>\n

As we started to head back, our boat’s motor quit. \u00a0We had to be towed in.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5449\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5452\"<\/a>Back in Siem Reap we had a nice lunch complete with delicious mango, dragon fruit, watermelon and a flan. \u00a0 It sure beats snakes and spiders!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5462\"<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"IMG_5463\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5467\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5464\"<\/a>We reboarded the bus and headed to the Banteay Srei. \u00a0On the way we stopped at a noodle “factory” \u00a0Our host kneaded a fresh batch of rice dough, pressed it through an extruder, cooked it into a soup and gave us samples.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5465\"<\/a>\u00a0 I thought it was quite good, but I noted there was “happy room” over my shoulder – just in case.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On we o to our first Angkor Wat temple<\/strong>\"IMG_5479\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This is the Banteay Srei\u00a0temple It \u00a0is a 10th century temple dedicated to the Hindu<\/span><\/a> god Shiva<\/span><\/a>. Located in the area of Angkor<\/span><\/a>. It\u00a0is built largely of red sandstone<\/span><\/a>, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction. These factors have made the temple extremely popular with tourists, and have led to its being widely praised as a “precious gem”, or the “jewel of Khmer art.” \u00a0We knocked on the door and went in.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5475\"<\/a> \"IMG_5478\"<\/a>\u00a0There were smaller temples inside. \u00a0Note the temple monkey statue.<\/strong>\"IMG_5476\"<\/a> \"IMG_5471\"<\/a>The most impressive artwork were the carving on the pediments above the doors. \u00a0Many were missing, probably stolen by tomb raiders. Each carving tells a story, if you had time and resources to figure them out.<\/strong>\"IMG_5472\"<\/a>Time has taken its toll on some of the structures, but we could wander at will.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was time to head back to town. Tomorrow we will visit the temples at Angkor Wat. \u00a0On the way to town we stopped a palm sugar “store” and heard how they made palm sugar:<\/strong>\"IMG_5488\"<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"IMG_5482\"<\/a> \"IMG_5483\"<\/a> \"IMG_5484\"<\/a> \"IMG_5485\"<\/a>The male part of the sugar palm is prepared for tapping and then cut open until it drips. The sap is collected in banboo “buckets’. \u00a0The sap is poured into huge woks and boiled until it crystallizes<\/span><\/a><\/span>. It is then sold as granulated or as wrapped rolls of solid sugar discs. \u00a0We stopped at a sugar store and bought some in jars. It was very sweet.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Palm sugar is a nutrient-rich, low-glycemic crystalline sweetener that looks, tastes, dissolves and melts almost exactly like sugar, but it’s completely natural and unrefined and contains\u00a0potassium, zinc, iron, and vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6. \u00a0Yummy!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"IMG_5486\"<\/a>We continued back to Siem Reap, Had another delicious serenaded \u00a0dinner at the Asian Square restuarant and hit the hay. \u00a0Day 15 was thus ended.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Go to Page 12
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Southeast Asia with Peter – Day 14 (Continued) We had a short orientation walkthrough the\u00a0Royal Independence Gardens in the center of town. Rath pointed out the Fruit Bats in the trees. \u00a0They were huge! \u00a0These bats are locally known as … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2137","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2137","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2137"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2422,"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2137\/revisions\/2422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}